Chapters "Thanks!" Bubbly Celestia said. She jumped up like the filly she was at the apple juice set before her by the unicorn.
"I thought she asked for fizzy apple cider, slave!" Lord Nebulae said with anger in his voice.
The black stallion's face literally went white. "I'm sorry sir, I'll fix it!" He said frightened. Sweet Celestia hated to see any pm y so frightened.
"It's quite alright, uncle, I rather like this style anyway." Tia said. The slave gave her a look of gratitude
"IT'S NOT WHAT YOU ORDERED AND THIS IMBECILE SHALL SPEND TWENTY LASHES AND A WEEK IN PRISON TO THINK ABOUT WHAT HE CAN DO BETTER!" Lord Nebulae proclaimed in the royal voice. The slave screened as two guards dragged him away.
"HELP ME!" His eyes pleaded to Tia as he was dragged of by the alicorn's magic. Celestia looked away. That slave, of all slaves, had a disease. It made him bleed horridly when he was cut. Lord Nebulae never let the lower species go to any doctors. All the unicorn could do was pray he didn't get cut. The twenty lashes cut deeply into his skin, causing major bleeding on a healthy pony. Less than twenty minutes later, innocent little Celestia went to see him. What she found was a bloody mess. Twenty long cuts lined his back. It looked as if all the blood in his body had been drained out of them. But yet, a small spark of life still remained in him.
"Help…" was all he managed to say.
Celestia threw the door opened magically. She ran into the cell and levitated the hurt unicorn onto the cell's cot. Tia didn't even hesitate in tearing her silk cape into strips of cloth for bandages. She didn't know very many healing spells, but she did know one for blood loss. She began with that spell as she tried to help the unicorn.
She magically summoned a needle and thread. She leapt onto the cot, careful not to touch the injured stallion's back. Slowly, she magically moved the torn flesh back in its proper place. She sewed it carefully together. Twenty times she repeated that. The guards ignored her pleas to help the dying pony.
"My names Celestia. What's yours?" She asked as she worked.
"Storm Cloud." He choked out.
"Well, Storm, I'm gonna do my best to fix you up!" Tia said, trying to sound more hopeful than she felt.
Finally, she finished with the stitching. She grimaced. Moving some pony's flesh was a disgusting feeling. She proceeded to tie the strips of what was once a cape around his cuts. She gently released her healing spell.
"AHHHHHH!" He shouted as pain over took him.
Celestia quickly turned on her spell
"Are you ok?" She asked. Deep down, she knew as soon as she released the spell, he would die. Tia already could hardly stand to maintain the only spell keeping this pony alive.
"Princess, look at my cutie-mark." He said. She looked and saw a blue cross (reference to authors insurgence company).
"I'm a medical pony. I know as soon as you lift yer spell, I'm a goner. That's ok. Let me go." He said
"I can't just let you die." She said.
Storm sighed, realizing this would be a long debate.
"Thank you." He said. He lit up his horn and cast a single spell. A spell that made the little princess's spell cease.
"NOO!"
Celestia woke with a start. She knew Luna had seen her nightmare and awakened her. Celestia has forbidden her little sister from actually entering her dreams. This was Celestia's way of hiding Equestria's true history from Luna. She approached the night sky and watched a nebulae for a few moments.
"Why did you of all ponies have to be my uncle?" She asked herself for the ten thousandth time.
a quiet knock aroused Celestia from her thoughts.
"Come in, Luna!" She said with a sigh.
The dark form of her sister entered the room.
"I saw you were having another nightmare, and I felt I should rouse you. You seemed rather upset." She said.
"That's Luna." Tia thought "always watching out for me, as I watch for her."
"Thank you, Lulu." Celestia said. "Let me tell you a story. It will calm my nerves."
"Yay! Tell my about uncle Nebulae. Please?!" Luna pleaded.
Ever since Luna had stumbled across that name, Luna had wanted to know all there was to know about their relative. Tia didn't have the heart to tell her sister that their relative was a tyrant. She still thought that their father was a wise and kind stallion. Since the first lie about having a wise and kind uncle to this very night where she told another story, Celestia lied to her sister.
"One day, before you were born, mom and dad forgot my birthday." Celestia lied as she cuddled up close to her sister. "Not because they didn't care, but they were so awfully busy that it slipped my mind. But uncle Nebulae didn't forget. He took me for a hike up Equestria Mountain. We played together and looked at the scenery. It was breathtaking! He had the pegusi clear the sky, just for my special day. He also got me a gift. He himself went through all the trouble to capture a sunbeam, just for me! Alas, I lost it during the war. But at that moment, I felt like the luckiest pony in all of Equestria." Tia smiled at her imagined story. "Then Nebulae turned to me and said: 'Tia, someday you will rule Equestria. In that time, I pray that you'll be a sunbeam of hope to those who need it.'"
"I wish I knew Uncle Nebulae. He sounds so amazing." Lulu said.
Thankfully it was dark, so Luna didn't see Celestia role her eyes. "Come on, little sister, it is almost time for the dawn." Tia said as she stood and exited the room. Luna was close behind.
The return of Lord Nebulae
Twilight Sparkle went through her day of reshelving after a long weekend of studying. She had just put the last book on the shelf, and turned to look at her list. Then at the sun.
"It's only noon?! Reshelving was supposed to take all day! What am I going to do? Relax, Twilight, you'll just have to do some hints you had scheduled for tomorrow. But then I'll have to change tomorrows schedule, the he next days, I'll have to edit the whole month! What to do, what to do?!" Twilight said. Her long night had left her tired, and things such as rescheduling that normally stressed her now left the unicorn paranoid.
Spike laughed at his friend's paranoia. "Relax, Twilight. Just take one afternoon of just doing whatever you feel like. With all the studying Celestia is having you do, you deserve a break." He said.
"Yeah! I guess you're right! What would I ever do without you, spike?" She said
"Uh…worry?" Was the reply.
This time it was Twilight's turn to laugh. She headed out the door and went to Sugarcube Corner for Pinkie's "wake-up-silly" cupcake. It was loaded with sugar and would wake an Ursa Minor.
Ding-a-ling-da-ling
The bells greater Twilight as she trotted into the shop.
A pink mass hurtled itself at Twilight and produced a cupcake just for her. Several words came from pinkie that couldn't be understood. But to the best of my knowledge she said: "GOOD MORNING! Or I guess it's afternoon,'so good afternoon! I guess it's only 11:57, so GOOD MORNING! But I already said good morning, so GOOD MORNING AGAIN! It is soo good to see you. I thought reshelving was going to take all day so when I saw you coming down the road I was like 'she's gonna want a Wake-Up-Silly-Cupcake! So I raced to the kitchen as fast as ice cream melts on a hot summer day u set Celestia's sun! It was actually 92.7756 percent faster, roughly speaking…" the conversation went on and on like this. Twilight simply toned her out as she approached a table. She ate the cupcake, then bounced of the walls (literally) for a minute or two as the sugar hit her system. She calmed down soon. So she paid for the cupcake, said good bye to pinkie (who was currently talking about a weird nebulae last night?) and left the shop.
Twilight barely had time to react as the object hurdled towards her. Twilight instantly teleported away. The burning objec caused a ginormous explosion emitted from it as it hit the ground. Twilight threw up a shield around herself as she watched in horror. A whole block became a crater, another two were beat by a wave of heat.
Twilight's bubble had kept her suspended in the air as the ground below her disintegrated. She lowered herself to the ground and looked to the center of the crater. Where just seconds ago, Twilight Sparkle had been walking, stood an Alicorn taller than Celestia herself.
Lord Nebulae groaned from within the crater. Fighting a herd of Ursa Majors-easy. Fighting a herd of Ursa Majors with Ursa Minors? Not so easy.
"Oh my Celestia! Ate you okay?" He heard some pony say.
He heard small pebbles falling and saw a purple unicorn come into view. "She's cute, not as cut as an Alicorn, but still. CUTE!" He thought as he gripped for conscienceless.
The Alicorn moved slightly as Twilight. She leaned against him and assisted him in getting up. Twilight couldn't help the gasp she let out. He was easily the size of Luna on top of Celestia. Sadly, he noticed the gasp.
"What is it, unicorn?" He said the last word in the way some pony would say worm. Twilight wisely chose to ignore this, however.
"I'm sorry, sir. It's just, your so much taller than I thought you were!" She said.
"You there! Halt! What is thy name and thy business here?" Demanded a voice. The Alicorn turned slightly as the voice continued, "and what are you doing with my sister?!"
"Shining Armor! He's an Alicorn!" Twilight shouted.
"So? He just destroyed ponyville! Now get up here Twily!" He yelled.
Twilight reluctantly obeyed.
"Celestia's here!" Shouted a guard.
"Good. I don't like this guy." Twilight b.b.b.f.f. Said. Twilight rolled her eyes at the way he babied her. He wouldn't be half so nervous if Twilight hadn't been down there.
"MOVE OUT OF THE WAY!" Shouted the familiar voice of Princess Luna. Soon the crowd parted and the two princesses stepped forward. Celestia stopped as she recognized the figure. Shock and hate raged through her, only to be replaced a second later with fear.
"Hello, Uncle Nebulae."
"Hello, Tia."
Luna discovers the truth (some of it)
It took some time to find a chariot big enough for Lord Nebulae. Even then, he and the celestial sisters had to be in separate ones. Luna groaned at this.
"Tia, I want to spend time with Uncle Nebulae!" She wined on the way home. They planned to return later to help the ponies rebuild their home.
"Luna, trust me, you don't." Celestia could see the pretend world she had woven for her sister falling apart.
"TIA! I WANT TO STAY WITH UNCLE NEBULAE! DID YOU NOT SAY HE WAS WONDERFUL AND KIND! THOU CAN'T KEEP HIM TO YOURSELF!" Luna used the royal voice.
"LULU! BE QUIET AND LISTEN TO YOUR BIG SIS FOR ONCE!" Celestia didn't use her royal voice often, but when she did the volume surpassed that of Luna's.
"I'm sorry." Whimpered a now frightened princess of the night. Celestia calmed herself and looked to her little sister.
"Lulu, I need to speak with you as soon as we get to Canterlot, alright?" Tia hated to see her sister whimpering more than she hated using her royal voice.
Luna nodded her head. The rest of the flight was in silence, a silence only broken by the pegusi flapping their wings.
The two sisters were lighter than the other Alicorn, so they reached the palace much sooner. Celestia rushed Luna to her room, figuring they could have about ten minutes to talk.
"Lulu, I am so very sorry, can you ever forgive me?" Celestia asked, tears formed in her eyes.
"Whatever for, sister?" Luna was a bit confused.
The tears now flowed from Celestia's eyes. "Lulu, I lied to you. Lord Nebulae, he wasn't sweet and kind. He was a tyrant, he saw any pony who wasn't an Alicorn as a lower form of life. The nightmare that haunted me last night, it was a memory, a memory of Uncle Nebulae's cruelty. He gave a pony twenty lashes and a week in prison because I asked for fizzy apple juice and he brought me regular apple juice. I told uncle it was all right, but he sent him for a punishment any way. I'll never forget how his eyes screamed at me to help him. I went to the dungeon later. I tried, but I could not save his life, for he had a disease that made the littlest cut bleed like an open wound. Lulu, I'll never forgive Uncle for that day. The day all my power became worthless. I cried, for this life would not have been taken, had I not ordered that juice. I'm sorry, Lulu."
Luna's eyes had tears flowing now, too. "Why did you lie to me, Tia?"
"A very good question that I'm sure Tia doesn't want to answer." A voice said. Tia turned, but regretted doing so, as Discord made her laugh.
"Discord! Of all the things to do, why are you juggling my furniture?" Tia asked.
Before Discord gave a reply, a pegusus burst through the bedroom door. He was covered in cuts, both deep and shallow.
"Princesses! The great and royal pain in the rump, Lord Nebulae, awaits you in the throne room." He said. Barely had he finished speaking when he toppled to the ground. Lulu was at his side shortly after Celestia was. Discord stared, in shock.
"Discord! Come help us heal him!" Luna shouted at him. Discord obeyed. Somehow everywhere but his wings had cuts on it. Celestia lifted off his helmet and gasped. The helmet dropped from her grip.
"What happened?!" She asked in a voice just over a whisper.
"Sister, you've seen cuts before! What is so bad that…ugh! What happened to you?" Lulu was equally disgusted by a cut over, and in, the pony's eye.it looked as though a whip had hit his eye. His eyelids had been closed, so they were torn as well. The pony kept his eye closed, so as not to alarm them further. They could see under the cut enough the see the eye was cut. It was a bloody mess that no pony should see. After healing everything else, they sent the pony to the infirmary.
"Princesses, Discord, you wanted to know what happened. The chariot pullers weren't going fast enough. My partner, Cloud Beater, died when we landed. This is the cruelty of our Lord Nebulae. If my opinion counts, I'd say that you should beat that cutie-mark off his flank!" The pegusus said. He then turned his back and walked down the hall to the infirmary
"Well, shall we go see are long-lost uncle?" Celestia asked.
"No." Luna's bravery was gone after that pegusus. Celestia felt her own courage diminish.
"Don't worry gals! I got your back." Discord said. The princesses smiled, and walked to the throne room with Discord behind.//
Ponyville (what's left of it)
Twilight sighed as she watched the royalty and their guards leave. She turned, and gasped at the sight. All but the outskirts (and the library due to a shielding spell) had been destroyed. Tears filled Twilight's gision as she stared at her ruined home. She sadly walked where a street used to be, back towards home.
"Help us! Can anypony hear me?" A voice called out.
"Hello! I'm coming! How many of you are under there?" Twilight asked as she galloped to a fallen house.
"Twilight? Is that you? Thank Celestia! I'm here, Ditzy Doo is unconscious, the Cutie MarkCrusaders are trapped under a board, and the only way out from under here is too small for me to get out. Help us, Twilight!" Lyra Heartstring's voice called.
"I've got you! Don't worry!" Twilight called back. She slowly began the process of lifting the boards off of the stack. Little by little, she could see more and more of the ponies. Twilight didn't have room to drop what she picked up, so instead she held them. The stress from holding so much hurt her crazily. Finally, Lyra could crawl out. She carefully took some boards from Twilight's grip. Twilight visibly relaxed as she didn't have to use as much magic.Twilight began to lift one of the bigger boards, only to be met with a scream of pain from three little fillies.
"What? What is it?" Twilight asked loudly.
"It's alright, Twi, it's just the board yer liftin is the board holdin us down." The country accent clearly meant that it was Apple Bloom who had spoken.
Assured by the filly, Twilight Sparkle lifted the board. She was sure then that she could lift all four ponies out of the ruined building.
"Are you ok?" Twilight asked when she had set them down. She put the boards back, and was sure that the magical strain would mean at least a three hour nap in the near future. But that was the least of her worries. She began to check each pony over, making a mental list of what was wrong wih each pony.
Lyra: several cuts and bruises, possibly a bruised bone in her right rear hoof. A couple deep gashes, nothin too serious.
Ditzy Doo: several gashes, broken wings, the wings are sprained at the joints, a concussion from whatever hit her head, front left hoof may be cracked.
Apple Bloom: broken ribs, cuts and bruises, a large gash on the side of her face, swollen knee.
Scootaloo: sprained right wing, cracked ribs, broken left wing.
Sweetie Belle: hind left leg is clearly bent out of place, definitely broken. A small, deep gash over eye, a crack at base of horn.
Twilight grimaced at the list, especially Sweetie Belle. Twilight knew of one way to fix the crack in her horn, but it needed to be done soon, and the magical energy required would leave her unable to fix the others. Twilight sighed as she made her decision. She carefully approached Sweetie Belle.
"Sweetie Belle, I have to fix your horn ASAP. It will hurt both of us, but you can't move. It is dangerous, but it is the only way to save you from a magic less life. Okay?" She said.
Sweetie Belle nodded, tryin not to appear scared.
"SWEETIE BELLE!"
"APPLE BLOOM"
"SCOOTS!"
The corus of voices were unmistakeable. Apple Jack, Rainbow Dash and Rarity were here.
"Rarity, I need your help." Twilight said. "We need to heal Sweetie Belle's horn, NOW. I need your magical energy."
Rarity instantly gave her energy to Twilight. A cracked horn was not something to waste time on. If not cured in time, the owner wouldn't be able to perform magic, and the horn would pain her forever.
"Hold still, Sweetie." Twilight ordered. She moved close to the frightened unicorn. Raw magic went from Twilight's horn into sweetie belle's. the ponies watched in horrible fascination as Sweeties eyes went white. A light washed over Sweetie Belle, healing her as it went. Twilight pulled back her horn and the magic ceased. All of Sweetie Belle's injuries were healed.
"Oh, Sweetie Belle! Your alright!" Rarity cried as she hugged her sister.
Sweetie Belle grinned as she hugged her sister. Twilight wasn't payin attention to this scene. She saw what no pony else did: Ditzy Doo wasn't unconscious, she was almost dead, and she watched the scene, too weak to talk.
"Sweetie Belle! I need a needle to fix up these wounds, STAT!" Twilight ordered. Then every pony watched in shock as Sweetie Belle levitated a needle and thread from Rarity's pocket.
Celestia stopped and sighed outside of the throne room. She tried not to show it, but she was scared to death of her uncle. His rage was something you never wanted to invoke, and what brought him pleasure was twisted and cruel.
"Tia, we must enter." The younger sister said. Tia shook her head a few times, trying to regain her posture. A few tears rolled down her face before she had her smiling face she was famous for. She entered the room with her sister and friend in tow.
"Hello, uncle!" She said with fake cheerfulness.
"Hello nieces, palace pet." He said barely glancing at them.
Discord ground his teeth in anger. "Actually, Lord Nebulae, my race is no longer a 'pet race' In fact, my awhile race are personal friends of Celestia and Luna."
"Hmm… how did they do that? You're the only draqueness to manage that, unless you're the only one left." He said. "But that doesn't matter, this window surprises me." The window that he refered to held the picture of Twilight and Friends defeating Nightmare Moon.
"What about it, Uncle" Celestia inquired.
"One, you allowed ponies that ate not Alicorns wield the elements of harmony. Even if the elements do little more than amplify your power slightly, they shouldn't be given to a lesser race. Two, you exchanged Princess Nightmare Moon for this…weaker pony. Nightmare Moon had POWER! Together, your rule could have extended beyond Equestria. Why, Celly?"
Tia resisted the urge to attack for using her nickname. "I was powerlessly trapped. These six were the only option. Nightmare Moon was not a princess of Equestria, nor my sister. Though I do wonder how you knew about her. This shows th picture, but how did you know that she used to control my sister?"
"I met her. We talked on the moon." He replied. He almost laughed at Celestia's face. " Yes, Celly, I could reach the sun and moon. The Earth was what rejected me. Try as I might, it took me over 1200 years to get through the atmosphere. Of course, since you're magic is so weak, you couldn't feel me attacking the Earth."
"TIA IS NOT WEAK!" Luna shouted with the royal voice.
"Ah… I knew that anger was really in your heart, even if you blame the Nightmare. Though, it is too bad you lack her strength." Lord Nebulae. This was one of the few times that Discord was at a lack for word.
"Uncle Nebulae, the reason we wanted to talk with you was partially to ask you to return to Ponyville with us. Much damage was caused in your return, and they could use our help." Celestia said.
"Hahahahahaha! Celly! Honestly, Nightmare told me that you used to be Laugher, but this is too good! Actually caring for those weaklings! Amazing joke." Nebulae chuckled.
"I'm serious Nebulae! Those ponies need our help! No wonder you were never an element bearer." Tia mumbled the last sentence under her breath, but not quiet enough.
"THOU DARE INSULT THY BETTER?" The furious Alicorn called out. "THOU SHALT BE PUNISHED!" Dark green magical aura surrounded Celestia's throat and she lifted off the ground. She cried out in pain. Suddenly, Tia flashed, and in her place stood a fern.
"Discord!" Luna cried, "what did you do to Tia?" Discord was in a fit of giggles.
"I just thought the look on your face would be priceless if I did it right then, and was right right! Totally worth it."
Nebulae himself chuckled. "Alright, I'll go prepare to leave for that village." He said and trotted off.
As soon as Lord Nebulae was out of sight, discord straightened up. He snapped his claw and there sat Celestia.
"Why did you turn me into a fern?" She asked him.
"Nebulae would have killed you. Luckily, it's impossible to strangle a fern." Discord replied. The expression on his face was a rare look of seriousness. "We have to do something about him."
"Let's go get in the chariots. He'll be waiting." Luna said. With low spirits, the trio walked to the stables.
"Sweetie Belle!" Rarity gasped as her sister's horn ceased to glow. "How long have you been able to do that?"
"I don't know! I just did it for the first time! I didn't even think about it, it just happened. What's wrong with me, Rarity, why can I suddenly use magic?" Sweetie's eyes showed fear as she searched for answers.
"Sweetie, I think it's my fault." Twilight said. "I may have used too much power to heal your horn, and the left over magic must have jump-started your abilities. I'm so sorry Sweetie Belle, but I'm gonna have to take you into the library and study you, I need to check your magical abilities. I'm a full grown unicorn and a graduate from CSFGU, if you have even a fraction of my power then…" Twilight was cut of as a wave of pink magic emitted from Sweetie Belle's horn. Everypony ducked to avoid the shockwave.
"That could happen!" Twilight finished. But no pony was listening. They were all far to busy chattering about Sweetie Belle's new power.
"WHAT IS GOING ON HERE? WHERE IS MY SISTER?!" A voice echoed.
"Daring Doo? S-s-sister?" Rainbow Dash stuttered as one of her idles stood before her.
"No pony saw the connection? Ditzy Doo and Daring Doo? Now tell me, "WHERE IS MY LITTLE SISTER?!" The adventurer shouted.
"Daring…" Ditzy managed to say. Daring looked at her, then at the others.
"WHY ARE YOU STANDING AROUND TALKING?! FIX HER!" Fear and desperation clawed at the voice of the famous pegusus. Twilight lifted up her needle.
"Hold on, Ditzy. I'm gonna put you to sleep." Twilight said. She cast a sleeping spell over to injured pony. She them wasted no time in stitching up her cuts.
"Spike! Get me a first aid kit! Rarity, help me!" She called. The dragon and unicorn obeyed. Carefully, they stitched up her cuts. Rainbow Dash flew off, then came back with a blue WonderBolts costume.
"I was going to use it this Nightmare Night, but she needs bandages." Rainbow said. Twilight levitated it over and gasped. It had signatures from all of the WonderBolts.
"Are you sure, Rainbow?" She asked. Rainbow Dash slowly nodded, and stared with Geary eyes as her costume (which was given to her by Spit Fire) was torn to shreds.
"Rainbow, go see if you can find a nurse." Twilight instructed.
"Yes ma'am!" Rainbow saluted and flew off with speeds that caused a Rainboom. Daring Doo stood with an open mouth as the legendary stunt was preformed. Lickety -split she came back with nurse Redheart clinging to Rainbow's neck for dear life. As soon as Rainbow touched the ground Nurse Redheart sprinted to the fallen pegusus, pushing past Daring Doo.
"Will she be okay?" The famous pony asked.
"I don't know. If Twilight hadn't put her to sleep she wouldn't be. I have one room in the hospital left for ponies in critical. If Rainbow had come any later, some pony who didn't need it as bad would have gotten it. You three pegusi carry her. Meet me at the hospital." She ordered and sprinted off in the direction of Ponyville Hospital. Rainbow Dash carried Ditzy's front half and Darin got her other half. Fluttershy did her best to get other pegusi out of the way.
A moment later, two large chariots appeared in the sky. Both carried the mark of Royalty.
"PRINCESS CELESTIA! PRINCESS LUNA!" LORD NEBULAE! OVER HERE!" Twilight shouted. Celestia was thankful that her student couldn't use the Royal Voice. She could shout loud enough as it was.
"My faithful student." Celestia said as she stepped off of the chariot. "Is everypony alright?"
"No, your highness. I don't know if anypony has died yet, but Ditzy Doo is close to death and several other ponies are injured. And…oh no… EVERYPONY DUCK!" Twilight shouted. Sweetie Belle let out another shockwave of magic. "Sweetie's horn was cracked so I healed it. She can use magic and is having magical surges now." Twilight explained with a red face.
"Do you understand the pain you caused these ponies?" Celestia asked her uncle.
"Once again, they are but slaves. Though I must admit, the lavender unicorn has advanced magical abilities and intellect." He replied. Twilight was unsure wether to be complimented or insulted.
"Please, can we just help them?" Luna asked.
"Fine, but don't expect me to help every time something happens to these ponies." Lord Nebulae said with boredom. Then began the task of healing, which took till sundown. Then the three Alicorns returned to Canterlot for the evening.